Single mum loses £600 in house fraud

Charise Watson lost £600 to the bogus landlords, who are advertising properties on websites such as Gumtree and conning prospective tenants out of hundreds of pound.

The con artists ask house hunters to wire money to themselves as proof they can cover the rent before using fake IDs to claim the wired money for themselves.

Ms Watson, 19, placed an advert on Gumtree seeking a three-bedroom home in West Lothian and was sent pictures of a property in Larch Grove, Craigshill.

She was asked for proof she could pay the deposit before viewing and wired £600 to herself via Western Union before e-mailing the receipt as proof.

A police spokesman warned internet users to be vigilant.